Opening devices for boxes or like containers



Feb. 7, 1933. H. T. GASELTINE OPENING DEVICE FOR BOXES OR LIKECONTAINERS Filed Sept. 25, 1930 Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE HERBERT TENN'YSON GASEUI'INE, OF WEMB LEY PARK, ENGLAND,ASSIGNOR 'IO ILFOBD LmI'IED, OF ILI'ORD, ESSEX, ENGLAND, A BRITISHCOMPANY OPENING DEVICES FOR BOXES OR LIKE CONTAINERS Application filedSeptember 25, 1930, Serial No. 484,360, and in Great Britain April 1,1930.

This invention comprises improvements in or relating to opening devicesfor boxes or like containers.

The invention relates specially to opening devlces for containers ofthe, type in which the joint between the lid and the body portion of acontainer is sealed b a layer of gummed paper, celluloid, tinoil orother suitable, fragile or tearable material, and in which there isprovided beneath the sealing layer a cutter cord comprising a string orwire, one end of which projects throu h the sealing layer. On pullingthis end of t e cutter cord the sealing layer may be torn, thuspermitting the container to be opened and its contents to be removed.

In opening devices for containers of this type as hitherto proposed, ithas been necessary either to anchor to the container that end of thecutter cord which is located beneath the sealing layer, or else to windthe cutter cord more than once round the container,

as otherwise on pulling the free end of the cutter cord the latter willsimply be withdrawn through the hole in the sealing layer from which itprojects without tearing the sealing layer.

It is the object of this invention to rovide an opening device forcontainers 0 the above described type in which it is not necessary toanchor the enclosed end of the cutter cord, or to wind the latter morethan once round the container; thus reducing the amount of material, andthe time required for assembling the package.

According to the invention, in an opening device for a container of thetype described, the surface of the cutter cord'is roughened or serrated,so that when it is sought to unwind the cutter cord by means of itsprojecting end, the friction between the cutter cord and the sealinglayer is sufiicient to prevent its withdrawal from beneath the sealinglayer without tearing the latter.

n a preferred form of the invention the cutter cord comprises a stringwhich is provided with a friction surface, by bindin it with metal, forexample with tinsel oil strip.

The invention will now be described with reference-to the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the container to disclose one methodof attachment of the cutter cord;

Figure 2 is also a perspective view showing the cutter cord in dottedlines;

Figur'e 3 is an enlarged view of the cutter cord, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of container in whichthe cutter cord extends round three sides only of the con tainer.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the drawing.

The container comprises a rectangular cardboard box 11 to containphotographic films or plates, provided with a removable lid 12 whichslides over, the whole bei enclosed by a sealing layer of gumme paper13. A string 14 bound with tinsel foil strip 15 is wound once round thebox unders neath the sealing layer 13 at the unction between the bodyportion 11 and the lid 12. One end 16 of the string is taken out throughthe sealing layer.

The inside end 17 of the string is not anchored to the box but remainsfree and is conveniently bent at right angles to the length of theremaining portion of the string as shown in the drawing. On pulling theprojecting end 16 of the string, the sealing layer is at once severedfor the friction between the metal binding 15 of the string and theinside of the sealing layer 13 is sufficient to prevent withdrawal ofthe string from beneath the latter in spite of the fact that its innerend is not anchored.

In the modification illustrated in Figure 4:, the string 14 extendsround three sides only of the fiat box 11,'so that when the projectingend 16 of the string is pulled, three sides only of the sealing layer 13will be severed, thus I and a sealing layer of tearable materialoverlying the joint between said body and closure portions, and a cuttercord of flexible material which is sealed beneath said sealing layerwith one end protruding for a hand grip and which has throu hout itslength a circumferentially serrate surface structure so constituted asto provide a degree of friction suflicient, without positive anchorageof that end of the cord remote from the hand grip, to resist slip in thelengthwise direction of the cord between it and the sealing layer whenthe cord is pulled to break the seal.

2. The combination of a container comprising a body portion and aclosure therefor, and a sealing layer of tearable material overlying thejoint between said body and closure portions, and a wire which is sealedbeneath said sealing layer with one end protruding for a hand grip andwhich has throughout its length a circumferentially serrated surfacestructure so constituted as to rovide a deout positive wire remote greeof friction suflicient wit anchorage of that end of the from the handgrip, to resist slip in the len hwise directlon of the wire between itan the sealing layer when the wire'is pulled to break the seal.

3. The combination of a container comprising a body portion and aclosure therefor, a sealing layer of tearable material overlying thejoint between said body and closure por-.- tions, and a cutter cord offlexible material which is sealed beneath said sealing layer with oneend protrudin for a hand grip and which comprises two exible elementsone wound u on the other to form throughout the length of the cuttercord a surface structure so constituted as to provide a degree offriction suflicient, without positive anchora e of that end of the cordremote from the and grip, to resist slip in the lengthwise direction ofthe cord between it and the sealing layer when the cord is pulled tobreak the seal.

4. The combination ofa container compositive anchora e of that end ofthe cord remote from the and grip, to resist slip in the lengthwisedirection of the cord between it and the sealing layer when the cord ispulled to break the seal.

5. The combination of a container comrising a bod portion and a closurethereor, a sealing ayer of tearable material overlying the jomt betweensaid body and closure prising a body portion and, a closurethereportions, and a cutter cord of flexible material which is sealedbeneath said sealing layer with one end protruding for a hand grip andwhich comprises a string bound with successive convolutions of tinselfoil strip to form throughout the length of the cutter cord a surfacestructure so constituted as to provide a degree of friction suflicient,without positive anchorage of that end of the cord remote from the handgrip, to resist slip in the lengthwise direction of the cord between itand the sealing layer when the cord is pulled to break the seal.

6. The combination of a container comprising a body portion and aclosure therefor, a sealing layer of tearable material overlying thejoint between said body and closure portions, a cutter cord of flexiblematerial which is sealed beneath three sides only of said sealin layerwith one end protruding for -a han 1p, and which has throughout itslengt a circumferentially serrated surface structure so constituted asto provide a degree of friction suflicient, without positive anchorageof that end of the cord remote from the hand-grip, to resist slip in thelengthwise direction of the cord between it and the sealing layer whenthe cord is pulled to break the seal.

In testimony whereof I aflix my si ature.

HERBERT TENNYSON GASELTINE.

